20 Truths about the Four Kunoichi of the Konoha 12
by OpalescentStorm
Summary: They are ever ascending, and they promise themselves that they will make it to the top. A study of the fighting dreamers who find themselves struggling and sometimes even conquering in what is traditionally a man's world.


1) At some point in life, each of them had been told they couldn't, or that the thing they were trying was impossible, and then they were told that again, and again, and again. The fact remains that if they had listened, Konoha would currently be short four of the most capable kunoichi it had ever seen.

2) When Sakura had first seen the bodies strewn across the battlefield, Tsunade had put her hand on her protege's shoulder and made the pink-haired medic promise she wouldn't use her chakra on anyone who was a lost cause. When she returned to the medic's tent, exhausted, broken down, and out of chakra, Tsunade realized Sakura had neglected to tell her was that she has never believed there is such a thing as a lost cause.

3) When Shikamaru had learned Ino was on his team, his first reaction was to ask her why she wasn't raising children or some other job better suited to women; he claimed he didn't want to be slowed down by having a female on the team. Ino still denies that it was her Body-Mind Switch technique that caused him to tell almost everyone in Konoha that he had just started his period and didn't know whether to use tampons or pads.

4) No one had ever flat-out told Hinata that she wasn't strong enough–only the look in her father's eyes when she laid sprawled on the ground of the Hyuga complex after she'd been thrown to the dirt told her that he didn't think she was. She pulled herself up, though, and the look of surprise in his eyes was enough to tell her she was improving.

5) The first time Tenten proposed the idea of her Twin Rising Dragons attack, Neji had immediately calculated the mathematical impossibility of so quickly throwing weapons of different sizes, shapes, and handle positions and told her she shouldn't even try. She responded by claiming the mathematical possibility of him having a kunai up his ass was too large to even think about and asked whether he shouldn't get medical assistance to remove it.

6) Despite the fact that their teammates had been the antagonists at least once in their lives, the four kunoichi had learned to depend on their teammates at some point in the process. It took Hinata the least time, and Sakura the most, but eventually all four trusted their teammates with their lives.

7) Kiba and Shino had been the first ones to recognize the talent that Hinata had–understanding before she herself even noticed that she was improving–and had always supported her talents, but showed their own as well. When she rose all alone to see Shino keeping Naruto from helping her stand, she realized how great her team's recognition and support of her were.

8) To perform a combination jutsu as well as the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, it is common knowledge that one needs a good bond with their teammates. Ino can't tell you exactly when, but she can tell you that at some point between the first time attempting the formation and their first success with it Choji and Shikamaru stopped being a fatty and a lazy bum in her eyes and became her teammates.

9) Life on Team Gai without Tenten would have been anywhere from hard to impossible, because she was the balance on her team and able to keep the two boys from constantly fighting, and she still knows it. She makes sure that what Neji and Lee know is that she'll always be there to throw sharp pointy things at them and give them a good shake by the shoulders, respectively.

10) Everyone knows of the rocky start of Kakashi's team, with Sakura's obsession with Sasuke and total rejection of Naruto. No one knows, though, when exactly Sakura started tuning down her obsession with Sasuke and started actually acknowledging that Naruto had a purpose in life other than to drive her crazy; but it happened, and it made their team that much stronger.

11) These four kunoichi can tell anyone that being protected is one of the most horrible feelings in the world, but sometimes, to grow, a person has to just let someone else save them. They know that it is the job of a Konoha shinobi or kunoichi to protect others, and they also know that one day it will be them, strengthened sometimes by others, helping and protecting others.

12) Ino had been protected by her teammates so many times, but not in the orthodox way. She was saved from herself by the two boys that taught her how to live, laugh, and love without a care as to who thought what about her, and though she still pretends to care that her waist isn't small enough or her teammates are uncool, she knows that she's no longer fooling anyone.

13) Tenten was and still is grateful to Neji for releasing her from the water prison so long ago, but the fact remains that it is still a sore spot with her. One only has to mention the water prison to get a reply from her that includes her face turning several shades of red, several swear words, and the declaration that had Neji decided not to be a hero, she would've saved herself... it just would've taken a tiny bit longer.

14) Throughout the beginning of her career, Sakura was only protected by her teammates, unable to do anything else no matter what she did. Sometimes she thinks of Lee, Naruto, and even Sasuke jumping in a battle to defend her, and she feels a wave of gratefulness that she is no longer the pitiful girl she once was.

15) The creation of Team 8 was based upon the protection of the heir to the Hyuga family, what with a boy and his dog who can literally smell trouble from a mile away, an insect-user who can create clones and block some attacks with his bugs, and a sensei who is well respected as one of the best there is at Genjutsu. It was through Hinata's own determination and hard work that she became a valuable member instead of the protected treasure.

16) They used to be so much different: one girl who allowed herself to be overshadowed by her teammates, one girl who was afraid of her own shadow, one girl who proved herself incapable of fighting her own battles, one girl who only cared for her appearance. Now, though, they are four of the most prized kunoichi of Konoha, and they aren't embarrassed about who they used to be, for they know it helped them become who they are.

17) Tenten is quickly making her way through the ranks of the ANBU, helped along with her razor sharp weapons and her quick mind. Even though her reputation as the kunoichi who is capable of killing seven men in seven seconds is told throughout Konoha, she still insists that the greatest feat she ever accomplished was keeping Lee from drinking any sake at the celebration for her most recent promotion.

18) Thanks to a mixture of her kind nature and her determination, Hinata moved up to the rank of Jonin and was quickly granted a squad of three young Genin. Although the enthusiasm of the three would be far too much for many Jonin, Hinata only smiles and is reminded of her own Genin days and a yellow-haired boy who was the exact same way.

19) It took Sakura many years of training and hard work to become the medic-nin she is now, but were she given a chance, she wouldn't trade the experience for the whole world. When her patient survives, as so many do, she feels thankful that Tsunade gave her the power to heal, rather than the power to destroy.

20) With some knowledge in medicine, a pretty face, and the use of the mind-altering jutsus used mainly by the Yamankas, Ino became a Special Jonin, her specialty being spying. Although many of her missions are for her alone, she is still often found in the company of Choji and Shikamaru, berating the first about his food intake, the second about his laziness, and herself for loving them so much.


End file.
